Bleacher construction



F. C. TORKELSON BLEACHER CONSTRUCTION April 1 1, 1950 Filed Aug; 8, 1947 Patented Apr. 11, 1950 BLEACHER CONSTRUCTION Frank C. Torkelson, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignor to Western School Supply Company, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Application August 8, 1947, Serial No. 767,461

5 Claims.

This invention relates to bleacher construction, that is to say, to structures that provide seating facilities for spectators at sports or games.

The principal objects of the invention include those enumerated as follows:

(a) To provide a system of construction based on the employment of a self-contained structural unit, either singly or in multiple, each unit being in the form of a bent having maximum strength and rigidity attained at a minimum expenditure of fabricating labor and material;

(b) A system that is flexible in point of seating capacity;

A system that makes possible the rapid assembling or rapid disassembling of a bleacher structure;

(01) A system in which simplicity and portability are prime considerations.

Other important objects will become evident as the detailed description progresses.

According to the invention, the unit of construction is in the form of a bent composed of triangular panels, these panels being so interrelated that an unusually strong and well balanced seating and walkway structure results. At the same time, economy of fabricating labor and material is an outstanding factor.

The cleancut basic design of the unit bent is readily adaptable to a considerable variation in height, so that by a proper combination of a succession of bents of gradually increasing heights, the upwardly stepped characteristics of conventional bleachers can easily 'be attained. Moreover, the basic bent design is such that .a considerable seating capacity is made possible by uniting the successive unit bents into a composite bent of the required length. v

In general, the unit bent pursuant to the invention is characterized by a frame of A-configuration, including two inclined columns meeting at a common vertex, the vertex carrying a seat-supporting upright. The inverted-V panel of the A-configuration is disposed between two V-panels having each substantially one leg in common with a respective leg of the inverted-V panel. Thus, each of the two V-panels has also a respective outboard leg which, at the spread of the V-panel, carries a respective seat-supporting upright similar to the one at the A-vertex, the two outboard uprights however, being at graduated elevations corresponding to the incline line along which the successive rows of seats are arranged. The various seat-supporting uprights are designed to carry respective seat boards in rows similar to any usual bleacher construction. Spaced downwardly from the respective seat boards are walkways as usual, these being supported by structural members that advantageously and largely, constitute parts of the respective unit bents.

The bents are spaced apart one from another along the length of the seats and walkways to suit the allowable spans of the seat boards and walkway boards.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one specific embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a bleacher construction, showing the manner in which a series of unit bents of different heights is combined to form a composite bent on which the successive rows of seats and the associated walkways are supported in substantially uniformly ascending order;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary plan showing portions of seats and walkways; and

Fig. 3, a fragmentary rear elevation showing several consecutive ranges of composite bents in transversely braced relation one to another.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 denotes substantially a finished bleacher structure built on a suitable surface such as turf, or a suitably leveled piece of ground II. The assemblage It! includes mainly a series of transversely spaced composite bents l2, l2a., [2b, and so on, indefinitely, these being braced for example, in pairs, as shown at 13 and l3a, Fig. 3. The assemblage further includes seats M, Ma. and Hb in spaced groups, as well as walkways l5, l5a and IS!) in spaced groups that correspond to the respective groups of seats, all as shown in Fig. 1.

Commencing at the left of Fig. 1, a series of unit bents l6, l1, l8, l9 and is arranged so the respective seats and Walkways supported by these bents are in gradually descending order. Of the bents l6, l1 and I8, the A-frames 2|, 22 and 23 comprise the basic components. The respective A-frames consist principally of inclined front legs or columns 24, 25 and 26, together with.

inclined rear legs or columns 21, 28 and 29, the respective pairs of legs being joined at a comrsnlon vertex and having each an intermediate tie Extending as columns outwardly and inclining upwardly from the front legs 24, 25 and 26, are front branches or outboard legs 3!, 32 and 33, respectively, and extending in a similar manner from rear legs 21, 28 and 29, are the respective rear branches or outboard legs 34, 35 and 36. Each of the various front and rear branches is The basal spread of all the A-frames is pref- 4 erably equal one to another and the lower extremities of the A-frame legs are secured-.tothe base members 42, the bearing areas-of-the--latter n the supporting surface of soil, turf, or

other constituent being proportioned in accord- 43'within the configuration of the A, and two.

flanking V-panels, llland'dicontiguous thereto.

Thus, ,each V-panel'has one independent out-- boardleg and one leg in common with the inverted-V panel.

The unit bent I9" conforms ingeneral to. the characteristics of the A-frame unit bents, it being considered that the A-legs are shortened andthe outboard legs arranged substantially vertically. In: the bent IS the inverted-V panel appear at 4Gand the flanking. V-panels at 41. The unit bentis not particularly unique, but is providedasa matter of convenience to support the,

first few rows of" seats and'walkways.

The individual unit bents are adapted for shop, All that is necessary inv fabrication complete. field erection'i to put the upper ties 48 and the lower-ties'49 in place, applying bolts 50' where portability is desired, or else riveting or welding the 'connections'for relatively permanent installations. In any event, the unit bents are serviceably connected one to another to form the composite bents; Obviously as manyor as few of the unit bents areused as may be determined by the desired seating capacity of the finished bleacher structure.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, the scope of the invention is limited only by thefollowing claims.

E/hat is claimed is:

1. A bleacher'bent, including in combination,

two inclined columnsconstituting an inverted-V. panel; an auxiliary column intersecting one of the inclined columns intermediate the length of the said one inclined column, a second auxiliary column intersecting the other of the inclined columns intermediate the length of the said other inclined column, an upright rising at the vertex of said inclined columns; uprights rising from respective auxiliary columns, seat supporting mean mounted on each of said uprights; and walkway supporting means disposed between saidseat supporting uprights.

"2.fA bleacher bent according to claim 1, wherein said Walkway supporting means comprises structural members tyin said auxiliary columns to said inclined columns.

3.-A bleacher bent according to claim 1, wherein .thelower terminal. portions of said inclined columns of said inverted-V panel are integrally tied together by means of a structural base member.

lsIna bleacher construction, a system of bents of graduated height tied together into a cornpcsite bent, the respective bents each comprising two inclined columnsjoined at a common vertex and joined' intermediate their lengths by a cross'tie forming an A frame and inverted-V panel; anauxiliary column joined .to one of said inclined columns adjacent ,thecross tie and rising divergently outwardly therefrom to form a V panel flanking the inverted-V panel; a second auxiliary column joined tothe other of said incline'd columns adjacent the cross tieand rising divergently outwardly therefrom toform asecond V panel flanking the inverted-V panel opposite the first V panel; cross ,ties joining the respective auxiliary columns with the said inclined columns, said cross ties forming Walkway supports; seat-supporting means supported-by the upper ends of said auxiliary columns and said joined inclined columns; and structural members joining said respective bents together.

5. A structural bent for. bleacher construction comprising two inclined .columns joined at a common vertex and"joined intermediate their lengths by across tie forming an A frame and inverted-V panel; an auxiliary column joined to one of said inclinedcolumnsadjacent the cross tie and risin divergently outwardly therefrom to forma V panel flanking the inverted-V panel; a' second auxiliary column joined to the other of said inclined columns adjacent the cross tie and rising divergently outwardly therefrom to form a second V panel flanking the inverted-V panel'opposite the first'V panel; cross ties joinin the respective auxiliary columns with the said inclined columns, said cross ties forming walkway supports; and seat-supportingmeans supported by the upper ends of saidauxiliary columns and said joined inclined columns.

FRANK C. TORKELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in. the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name. Date 1,655,331 Norman Jan. 3, 1928 2,241,281 Vance et al. May 6, 1941 2,287,561 Page et al. June 23, 1942 

